CASE STUDY

New Store Build on Shopify

Industry: Pet Care & Dog Accessories • Direct-to-Consumer (D2C)

Platform / Theme: Shopify • Motion Theme

About ShawnCo

ShawnCo designs premium, pet-first gear engineered for safer, more comfortable outdoor adventures. With over 1 million products sold and 18,000+ 5-star customer reviews, their flagship line includes the Essential Harness, Dream Walk Pro, Basecamp Harness, and matching tactical leashes designed with 3-second on/off convenience and no-choke construction.

Overview

ShawnCo is an established pet gear brand specializing in high-quality, ergonomic pet accessories, including no-pull dog harnesses, heavy-duty control leashes, breathable collars, and adventure-ready travel sets. To transition from marketplace-heavy channels to a flagship direct-to-consumer experience, ShawnCo partnered with Ecommerce Pro to build a high-converting storefront on Shopify using the Motion Theme.

The Challenge

  • Sizing Friction & Product Returns: Dog harnesses require precise fitting across varied breeds and sizes; minimizing sizing confusion was critical to reducing expensive product exchanges and returns.
  • High-Variant Complexity: Products feature up to 19 distinct colorways and multiple size variations per product line, requiring intuitive variant switching without cluttering the Product Detail Page (PDP).
  • Marketplace Transition: Migrating marketplace buyers into repeat D2C site customers required building high brand trust, prominent warranty callouts, and smooth recurring bundle offerings.
  • Highlighting Technical Product Specs: Features like 3-second quick release, 3-point leash clips, reflective stitching, and padded neoprene required visual presentation for immediate buyer understanding.

The Solution

We engineered a risk-mitigated migration framework that decoupled legacy enterprise dependencies and transitioned the brand’s multi-market footprint onto a standalone Shopify Plus architecture with zero downtime.

Dynamic & Editorial Storefront Design: Configured the Motion Theme to deliver a responsive, grid-driven visual design optimized for bold lifestyle visuals and mobile-first shopping.

Integrated Fit & Size Chart System: Implemented interactive size selector modals and measurement walkthroughs on product pages to guide buyers to the exact fit for their pet.

Variant-Rich Product Architecture: Leveraged Motion's advanced color swatch and variant image grouping capabilities, enabling customers to easily browse 15+ colorways with instant photo updates.

Cross-Sell & Matching Set Bundler: Built dynamic bundle sections on PDPs encouraging shoppers to complete the set by adding matching leashes, collars, and travel pouches directly to their cart.

Custom Features

  • Interactive Dog Harness Sizing Selector: Integrated breed-specific sizing guides and measuring tutorials directly inside PDP drawer popups to drastically eliminate fit hesitation and cut down on customer service inquiries.
  • Dynamic Variant Swatch & Color Switching: Engineered intuitive color swatch selectors allowing seamless navigation across up to 19 custom colorways per harness model with instant gallery alignment.
  • Matching Set & Gear Bundle Builders: Added automated "Complete the Set" upsell widgets encouraging customers to pair harnesses with matching leashes and collars for an elevated Average Order Value (AOV).
  • Feature Callout & Technical Spec Badging: Displayed icon-driven feature callouts on product pages highlighting key benefits like 3-Second On/Off, No-Choke Construction, Reflective Stitching, and 3 Leash Clips.
  • Collapsible Accordion PDP Architecture: Utilized Focal's native layout modules to house detailed product information—such as Sizing Charts, Care Instructions, Warranty & Returns, and Shipping Policies—without cluttering the main buy box.
  • Social Proof & Verification Badges: Embedded high-impact review counters highlighting 18,000+ 5-Star Reviews and 1M+ Products Sold directly on the hero section and buy buttons to immediately reassure first-time shoppers.
  • Slide-Out Cart & Free Shipping Threshold Bar: Implemented a sticky slide-out cart with a real-time progress indicator motivating buyers to reach the $59 free shipping tier.
  • Hassle-Free Returns & Warranty Portal Callout: Integrated clear trust banners highlighting 30-day postage-paid returns and lifetime warranty options to maximize checkout conversion rates.

The Results

  • Successfully launched a modern, scalable D2C e-commerce platform built on Shopify.
  • Reduced size-related product returns by integrating interactive sizing guides on every harness PDP.
  • Increased Average Order Value (AOV) through matching harness, collar, and leash bundle recommendations.
  • Established strong consumer trust and converted marketplace customers into loyal direct brand advocates.